Papers Relating to the Foreign Relations of the United States, With the Address of the President to Congress December 4, 1917

File No. 893.512/72

The Secretary of State to Minister Reinsch

No. 532

Department of State,
Washington December 6, 1916.

Sir: The Department has received your despatch No. 1251 of October 31, 1916, with its enclosures, relative to the collection of likin dues on foreign goods entering the walled city of Changsha.

The Department approves the action of Consul Johnson in this matter and the Legation’s instruction to him of October 21, 1916 (C. No. 1924). You will so inform Consul Johnson and express to him the Department’s hope that the local authorities will yet recognize as fully warranted the construction of the treaty for which he is contending, thus obviating the necessity of an appeal by the Legation to the Foreign Office for relief.

In the event that Consul Johnson should not succeed in obtaining from the local authorities a satisfactory solution you are authorized to bring the matter to the attention of the Foreign Office and insist upon the construction of the treaty in the sense mentioned in the last paragraph of the despatch under acknowledgment.

I am [etc.]

For the Secretary of State:

Frank L. Polk